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The medals and the damage done: how bad is elite sport for the body and mind?

Holly Bradshaw’s questioning of whether the pursuit for glory is worth it has exposed the pitfalls of an athlete’s career

I almost question, is it really worth it? If I’ve damaged myself for the rest of my life?” It sounds like a lament from a punch-drunk fighter with holes in their memory and bank balance. Or an old rugby prop, slurry and soaked with regrets. But these words were uttered last week by a British Tokyo 2020 medallist, Holly Bradshaw, as she asked whether the relentless pursuit of sporting glory had harmed her body and mind.

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